Range element terminal block and bracket assembly

ABSTRACT

A terminal block is suspended within an inverted channel bracket my means of a coupling plate which bridges and is secured to the top of the block and extends through windows in the bracket sidewalls. The window bottom edges are inclined so that the socket end of the block is normally at an upwardly facing angle to aid plugging in of the element and a flange at such end of the block abuts the bracket sides to act as a positioning stop.

United States Patent Inventor Claude Drouin Montmagny, P.Q., CanadaAppl. No. 881,966

Filed Dec. 4, 1969 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 Assignee The Tappan CompanyMansfield, Ohio RANGE ELEMENT TERMINAL BLOCK AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY 4Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 339/34, 3 39/ 1 19 R Int. Cl H01r 13/60 Field of Search 339/119,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,842 4/1940Strazzabosco 339/34 2,866,956 12/1958 Miller et a1. 339/34 3,447,1215/1969 Ammerman et al. 339/217 X Primary ExaminerRichard E. MooreAttorney-Oberlin, Maky, Donnelly 8L Renner ABSTRACT: A terminal block issuspended within an inverted channel bracket my means of a couplingplate which bridges and is secured to the top of the block and extendsthrough windows in the bracket sidewalls. The window bottom edges areinclined so that the socket end of the block is normally at an upwardlyfacing angle to aid plugging in of the element and a flange at such endof the block abuts the bracket sides to act as a positioning stop.

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PATENTEU NUVSO IQYI INVENTOR C L AUDE DROUl/V ATTORNEYS RANGE ELEMENTTERMINAL BLOCK AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a terminalblock and bracket assembly for power connection of an electric surfaceelement in a range or cook top.

Such assembly is, more particularly. the type which accepts plugging ofthe surface element, with the block a female connector and the bracketmounting such block in operative position. This is an old and widelyused form of energy connection for such an element, and it is a primaryobject of the present invention to provide a new assembly for thepurpose which has an improved action in the sense of properly locatingand guiding the interfit of the element terminals with the block.

Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal block andmounting bracket assembly for such purpose which is very economical toproduce and easily installed in a cook top or range.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawing setting forth in detail a certain illustrativeembodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but oneof the various ways in which the principle of the invention may beemployed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmented plan view of a surface element in a cook top,partially broken away, equipped with a block and bracket assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

H6. 2 is a vertical section of the FIG. 1 structure in which theblockand bracket appear in side elevation; and

FIG. 3 is a similar section in which the element has been disconnectedfrom the block and bracket assembly.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, reference numeral designates aportion of the top plate of an electric range or cook top in which thereis a circular opening bounded by an integral down-turned flange 11. Itwill be understood that top plate will normally be provided with aplurality of such openings and each will receive a surface heatingelement assembly similar to the one to be described hereinafter.

A drip bowl 12 having an integral trim flange 13 is shown removablysuspended in the opening by virtue of the ring overlying and resting onthe top plate about the opening, with the bowl also having a horizontalelement-supporting ledge 14 near the top and a bottom central opening 15for circulation.

The drip bowl supports a conventional electric surface element 16 in thefonn of a tubular sheathed resistance element arranged in a flat spiralon and attached to a spider 17 which rests on the bowl ledge 14. Suchelement has rigid terminal sections 18 and 19 which extend downwardlyfrom the plane of the convoluted element respectively at its inner andouter ends and laterally in parallel through an opening 20 provided inthe wall of the bowl. These terminal sections extend in spaced relationunder and beyond the top plate flange 11 and terminate in maleconnectors 21, 22. A metal plate 23 bridges the sheathed terminalsections and is securely crimped to the same, with a conductivelyconnected ground connector 24 extending horizontally from such plateoutwardly between the element male connectors.

The element male connectors 21, 22 and the ground connector 24 aredetachably plugged into a rigid plastic terminal block 25 made ofidentical longitudinal halves and, at the interface between the twohalves, formed with passages to accept such element connectors. Theblock has a continuous flange 26 about its forward end, with its bodygenerally of rectangular cross-sectional shape, and it is wired in amanner well understood for grounded connection to an available source ofelectrical energy. While this terminal block may be used alone forconnection of the element, for example, by

being loosely accessible within the range top for manual plugging in ofthe element, it is preferred that the block be mounted for suchconnection and disconnection and a bracket designated generally byreference numeral 27 is utilized for such purpose.

Bracket 27 is essentially of inverted channel form with its top wall 28having a forward screw-receiving opening 29 and an intermediatetransverse slot 30. The terminal block is assembled with this bracket bymeans of a rectangular plate 31 which is passed transversely throughsidewall openings 32 in the bracket and then secured to the top of theblock by means of screws 33 threaded downwardly through the plate andbracket. The plate 31 is wider than the width of the bracket, as mostclearly evident in FIG. 1, with the aforenoted top bracket slot 30providing access to the heads of the screws 33 for the attachment of theplate to the block, and the block width is slightly less than theseparation of the bracket sidewalls. There is a degree of relativemovement of the two determined first by the dimensioning of the block 25and plate 31 and the longitudinal extent of the bracket sidewallopenings 32, with these relations such that the plate is at someintermediate location in the sidewall openings when the block frontflange 26 engages or abuts the forward end vertical edges of the bracketsidewall. Vertical movement of the plate 31 in the sidewall openings ofthe bracket is also provided, with the bottom edges 34 of the latterinclined correspondingly downwardly to the rear.

The bracket 27 is attached to the underside of the top plate 10 by meansof a mounting screw 35 threaded through the same and the bracket forwardopening 29. As shown in FIG. 3, when the element, is not connected, theterminal block 25 is supported in the bracket by the end portions of thetransverse plate 31 resting on the inclined bottom edges 34 of thebracket sidewall openings, so that the block in this condition is heldat an angle which directs its socket end upwardly toward the drip bowlopenings, so that the block, in this condition is held at an angle whichdirects its sockets end upwardly toward the drip bowl opening 20. Theblock openings which receive the element connectors 21, 22, and 24 arethus very readily apparent to one installing the surface element, at aninclination as shown in the phantom outline in FIG. 3, and the forceinvolved in the making of the connection moves the block flange 26against the forward bracket edges, so that the latter serve as a stopand correct any misalignment in the now guided plugging in of theelement. When the connection has been completely made, the element is ofcourse rotated downwardly to the working horizontal plane shown in FIG.2, noting that the bracket mounting screw 35 is concealed beneath thedrip pan flange or trim ring 13.

The disclosed terminal block and bracket assembly thus provides amounting in which the block has a vertical freedom of movement in thebracket, can move relatively in and out to some extent, and providesboth an initial sighting of the coupling direction and misalignmentcorrection. It will be understood that grounding in the preferredembodiment through a separate terminal in the block permits theaforenoted use of the block without the bracket, and where the bracketis used conventional conductive connection of the sheath ends and thebracket can be provided in lieu of the separate ground terminal ifdesired.

1, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. An assembly for use with an electric surface heating element havingmale connectors at its ends, comprising a terminal block having a bodyof electrically insulative material one end of which has openings forinsertion of the element connectors, a mounting bracket for said blockadapted to be attached to, and position the block relative to,stationary structure with which the heating element is associated, saidbracket having laterally spaced sidewall portions between which the bodyof the block is disposed, with aligned openings provided in said wallportions, and coupling means secured to the block body and extendingtherebeyond at both sides through such sidewall openings of the bracket,thereby to suspend the block in the bracket, the width and height 'ofthe sidewall openings being slightly greater thanthe correspondingdimensions of the coupling means over the extent of the format to permitthe thus suspended block to assume an angular relation to the bracket,thereby to facilitate the insertion of the surface heating elementconnectors in the block.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom edges of thebracket sidewall openings are inclined and normally support the blockthrough the coupling means resting thereon at an upward angle in thedirection of the end which receives the element connectors.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the block body isprovided with a stop flange at said one end which abuts forward edges ofthe bracket sidewalls and positions the block in the insertion of theelement connectors in the same.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the coupling means andbracket sidewall openings normally support the block, without theelement connected, with said one end at an upwardly facing angle tofacilitate insertion of the element connectors.

1. An assembly for use with an electric surface heating element havingmale connectors at its ends, comprising a terminal block having a bodyof electrically insulative material one end of which has openings forinsertion of the element connectors, a mounting bracket for said blockadapted to be attached to, and position the block relative to,stationary structure with which the heating element is associated, saidbracket having laterally spaced sidewall portions between which the bodyof the block is disposed, with aligned openings provided in said wallportions, and coupling means secured to the block body and extendingtherebeyond at both sides through such sidewall openings of the bracket,thereby to suspend the block in the bracket, the width and height of thesidewall openings being slightly greater than the correspondingdimensions of the coupling means over the extent of the former to permitthe thus suspended block to assume an angular relation to the bracket,thereby to facilitate the insertion of the surface heating elementconnectors in the block.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe bottom edges of the bracket sidewall openings are inclined andnormally support the block through the coupling means resting thereon atan upward angle in the direction of the end which receives the elementconnectors.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blockbody is provided with a stop flange at said one end which abuts forwardedges of the bracket sidewalls and positions the block in the insertionof the element connectors in the same.
 4. An assembly as set forth inclaim 3, wherein the coupling means and bracket sidewall openingsnormally support the block, without the element connected, with said oneend at an upwardly facing angle to facilitate insertion of the elementconnectors.